After some grueling racing action at the 24h Dubai 2017 held at the Dubai Autodroome, Porsche teams emerged victorious taking first and second place on the podium, both in their Porsche 911 GT3 R race cars. For Porsche, it was the fifth victory in the Hankook 24h Dubai after previous wins in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2014.
At the in the twelfth running of the Dubai 24h, the 500 hp customer sports racer from Weissach celebrated a double victory.
The Herberth Motorsport team clinched overall victory at the season opening race of the 2017 motorsport year after taking the lead during the night with Porsche works driver Brendon Hartley, Robert Renauer, Ralf Bohn, Daniel Allemann and Alfred Renauer.
Manthey-Racing was close behind with 576 laps and securing second place with Porsche works driver Sven Müller, Porsche “Young Professional” Matteo Cairoli, Otto Klohs and Jochen Krumbach, narrowly beating Mercedes which drove under the Black Falcon team banner with the SLS AMG GT3 managed 575 laps. The manufacturer from Ingolstadt, Audi took the consolation prize securing the 4th position. French team Imsa Performance, scored fifth in their 911 GT3 R with Porsche “Young Professional” Matthieu Jaminet. A total of 92 vehicles tackled the event.
In January 2016, the 911 GT3 R celebrated its race debut mounted with the new 4.0L, flat 6 engine with direct fuel injection. Porsche had designed the customer sports racer for worldwide GT3 series on the basis of the 911 GT3 RS production sports car. The victory at Dubai is the first for the latest 911 GT3 R at a 24-hour race.
24h Dubai race results
1. Hartley/R. Renauer/Allemann/Bohn/A. Renauer (NZ/D/CH/D/D), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 578 laps
2. Müller/Cairoli/Klohs/Krumbach (D/I/D/D), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 576
3. Al Faisal/Haupt/Buurmann/
4. Osborne/Haigh/Ratcliffe/Haase (GB/GB/GB/D), Audi R8, 571
5. Jaminet/Narac/Cornac/Jousse (F/F/F/F), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 569
In the supporting races, reigning 24H SERIES teams’ champions, Hofor Racing, won the A6-Am class on the first competitive outing with its new Mercedes-AMG GT3. GP Extreme finished second in class with its Renault RS01 FGT3, followed by Car Collection Motorsport’s Audi R8 LMS.
Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo cars scored a first and seconds in the SPX class with victory for GDL Racing Middle East followed by Leipert Motorsport in seconds and Fach Auto Tech Porsche in third.
The Black Falcon Team TMD Friction won the Porsche 991 Cup class with its #68 car followed by Prosport Performance and race:pro motorsport.
In the SP2 class, Bovi Motorsport Brokernet Silversting won gold, followed by Reiter Engineering KTM X-BPW and the VDS Racing Adventures MARC Focus V8.
Ginetta managed a 1-2 in the SP3-GT4 class. Optimum Motorsport comfortably with Century Motorsport following and Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR with GDL Racing Team Asia Porsche came third.
Audi RS3 LMS conquered the TCR category with the Cadspeed Racing with Atech entry while long-time class leader, the Modena Motorsport SEAT Leon TCR came second and Zest Racecar Engineering SEAT came third.
Team Altran Peugeot took the A3 touring class in their #308 Peugeot 208 GTi with second for the #908 sister car and PB Racing Lotus Elise Cup in third.
German team Sorg Rennsport scored a first and second in the CUP1 class with its #151 BMW M235i Racing Cup Car in first and the #152 sister car in second, followed by the Bonk Motorsport entry.
Danish Team Eva Solo/K-Rejser won the A2 class in a Peugeot RCZ edging out Team Cooksport Renault Clio Cup IV and Team Sally Racing 1 Renault Clio Cup III.
24H SERIES sponsored by Hankook continues with the Hankook 12H MUGELLO (17-18 March) while competitors in the 24H TCE SERIES will get their season underway with the Hankook 24H SILVERSTONE (31 March-2 April).
